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The 1957 L-5 CES Reissue revives Gibsons iconic archtop with carved tonewoods, Custombucker pickups, vintage accuracy, and Custom Shop craftsmanship.
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The holy grail of hollowbody archtop guitars returns
Few guitars carry the legacy of the Gibson L-5. Introduced in the early 1920s during the Lloyd Loar era, it has been embraced by influential country artists, jazz legends, rockabilly pioneers, and blues masters alike. Now, Gibson Custom returns this iconic model to its core lineup with the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue. Developed from advanced 3D scans of rare late-50s originals, it faithfully captures the look, feel, and tone of the vintage instruments that inspired it.
The 1957 L-5 CES Reissue features a carved AAA spruce top, along with a carved bookmatched AAA curly maple back and solid AAA curly maple sides. Its fully carved construction delivers exceptional resonance, depth, and responsiveness whether played acoustically or amplified. The Venetian cutaway provides effortless upper-fret access, while the seven-ply top binding and three-ply back binding showcase the extensive craftsmanship required to build each instrument.
A 25.5” scale three-piece neck, crafted from curly maple with a walnut center strip, is joined to the body with a traditional dovetail joint. Its authentic 1957-style neck profile is based on scans of original examples, delivering a substantial vintage-inspired playing feel. The four-ply bound ebony fretboard features 20 medium jumbo frets, a bird’s beak extension, and mother-of-pearl block inlays.
The five-ply bound headstock is adorned with a mother-of-pearl flowerpot inlay and Gibson logo. A Corian nut, gold Kluson SealFast tuners, and rear stringer complete the vintage-correct specification.
Additional appointments include a gold Historic Reissue ABR-1 bridge on a rosewood base, a gold L-5 tailpiece with silver inserts and engraved “L-5” details, and a five-ply bound tortoiseshell pickguard. Electronics consist of two unpotted Custombucker pickups with Alnico 3 magnets, controlled by individual volume and tone controls fitted with True Historic gold Top Hat knobs and dial pointers. The guitar ships with .012-.052 flatwound strings and a Custom Shop hardshell case.
Rooted in Orville Gibson’s groundbreaking carved archtop designs and refined through Lloyd Loar’s innovations, the L-5 remains one of the most celebrated guitars ever produced. By late 1957, the addition of Patent Applied for Humbuckers helped define what many players consider the ultimate version of the model. Combining heirloom-quality craftsmanship, vintage-accurate specifications, exceptional playability, and a rich, articulate voice, the 1957 L-5 CES Reissue represents the pinnacle of Gibson archtop design.
1957 L-5 CES Reissue Features:
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